You may not have to pony up for a streaming video service (or any service, for that matter) to get 4K video on your TV in the future. GatesAir, LG and Zenith have started field-testing Futurecast, a system that promises to drag over-the-air TV into the modern era. Thanks to HEVC video compression as well as boosts to overall throughput, the technology can stuff both 4K and two mobile broadcasts into a relatively small 6MHz frequency range. With enough bandwidth, you'd only need a set of rabbit ears to watch at least a few basic channels in Ultra HD.

ESPN is never afraid to experiment with new technologies. Earlier this year, it used drones to capture footage of athletes as they performed during the winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. That recorded content, however, was limited to being used for replays or post-show highlights, if at all. But, over the past few months, ESPN has been working with GoPro to bring a new, real-time camera angle to its broadcast of this year's summer X Games, scheduled to take place in Austin, Texas from June 4th to June 7th. For the first time ever, the sports network will be using video from GoPros in live broadcasts of the event, giving viewers at home a first-person look at the action while it happens.Slideshow-294449

Earlier this week, folks in the know claimed that Apple's HDTV project had been junked after more than a decade of development. Now, however, Re/code is reporting that the company is still working on an online TV service for its devices, but wants to beat its rivals by being the first to offer live video from local broadcasters. Naturally, a push for regional content means having to deal with the hundreds of affiliates that operate across the country. So, instead of just shaking hands on a contract with ABC, Apple's got to get lawyers out to every station from Arizona's KNXV-TV to Wyoming's WAOW.

On Saturday morning in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it was about 30 degrees outside, but I was in my backyard enjoying a 75-degree day at the beach. That's only possible because I was testing out the first attempt at streaming virtual reality from one place to another -- in this case from Laguna Beach, California, to a Samsung Gear VR headset strapped to my head. Thanks to technology from the folks at NextVR, I could see and hear everything in 3D as though I was actually there, looking around in a virtual reality environment while on the phone with co-founder David Cole.

NextVR's demo reel takes viewers to a prerecorded NBA game, beach scene or Coldplay concert, but until now, no one outside of its labs has actually used the technology to visit another place via a live feed. A couple of years ago, we talked to the company about its plans to distribute live video in a virtual reality environment and today that dream came true.

Valve is now letting its millions of Steam users stream their games to the world. Steam Broadcasting, the company's answer to the wildly popular Twitch, was announced back in December and has been included in beta clients since, but today Valve has added the feature to the regular Steam app.

Broadcasting and watching gaming is pretty simple. If you know someone's Steam ID, you only need browse to their profile and click "Watch Game." This'll send a request through to the player's Steam client, and if they accept it'll start streaming immediately. You can change the privacy settings to, say, keep streaming totally public, limit it to friends or make it invite-only. Public streams are discoverable through the Broadcast option under the Community tab.

It turns out that the Steve Aoki concert on Twitch was just the beginning of something much, much bigger. The company has announced that more music broadcasts are coming to the streaming service by way of its new "music" category. The new section is in beta, but it'll allow anyone who's creating, performing and presenting original songs to do so live on the internet. What's more, "certain established artists and labels" will have the option to host listening parties and broadcast what Twitch calls large-scale events (think festival performances) if its curators deem them a good fit. The streaming juggernaut is also teaming with BeatPort and SFX Entertainment for festival broadcasts and DJ/producer interviews, as well.

Action cameras like the GoPro Hero line are great for immersing you in sports and other thrilling events, but there's a catch -- TV broadcasters can't easily use them live, which means you're either left watching a not-so-reliable internet stream or waiting for video released after the fact. Thankfully, you won't have to deal with these compromises quite so often this year. GoPro is teaming up with Vislink to craft a wearable wireless transmitter that athletes and others can wear to show their adventures on live TV. You won't get more details until the spring, but you'll see it in action at the Winter X Games in Aspen, some AMA Monster Energy Supercross races and other thrill-a-minute sports events in the near future. One thing's already certain: you won't always have to settle for old-school broadcast camera footage for much longer.

You may think that radio is dying in an era when on-demand music streaming is nearly ubiquitous, but some of the world's biggest broadcasters (unsurprisingly) disagree. The BBC, Clear Channel, HD Radio's Ibiquity and a handful of others are researching a "hybrid" radio format that would give smartphone users the advantages of reliable, low-intensity digital or FM radio with the interactivity and "enhancements" of internet streaming. In theory, this would keep your costs down and your battery life up without giving up the creature comforts of modern technology.

Binging on Mad Menvia Netflix or Blu-ray has a few advantages over watching the show when it broadcasts. Namely, not having to sit through commercials that jump higher in volume than anything heard in the halls of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. As spotted by The Hill, the FCC is hoping to change that last bit with an update to 2011's Commercial Advertisement Litigation Mitigation (CALM) Act; the outfit recently ruled for further volume-fluctuation restrictions for certain TV ads. Starting June 4th next year, an improved loudness measurement algorithm will be implemented that should make watching TV a bit more pleasant. How? It won't count the silent parts of an ad that can offset the commercial's average volume measurement, thus bringing the overall audio level down -- something that apparently hasn't been done before. We can't imagine that Harry Crane would be pleased by any of this.

By now, it's no secret that 21st Century Fox made a multi-billion dollar pass at Time Warner, only to get unceremoniously shot down by TW's head honchos. Both companies mostly kept mum after the New York Times first broke the story, but now things have come to a head: Fox has conceded defeat and officially withdrew its $80 billion offer. Had the deal gone through, the resulting content titan would've had with enormous sway over the media world -- it would have been in control of HBO, Turner's TV channels (minus CNN, which would've been spun off), Fox's broadcast network, Fox News, and two big-name film studios. Rupert Murdoch clearly saw the benefits of a mash-up, so why back off now?

With a new Supreme Court ruling on the books, things are looking awfully grim for Aereo and all those tiny, cloud-friendly antennas it controls. That's why CEO Chet Kanojia has temporarily turned off the television streaming service, and that's why he's asking for help. The beleaguered startup sent out an open letter encouraging all of us to email, tweet, and otherwise petition our land's leaders to defend the right to use a "modern antenna located in the cloud" to watch all that free over-the-air content.

"Today, I'm asking you to raise your hands and make your voices heard," Kanojia wrote. "Tell your lawmakers how disappointed you are that the nation's highest court issued a decision that could deny you the right to use the antenna of your choice to access live over-the-air broadcast television."

We hope you love how NBC handles its Olympic Games broadcasts, because it just locked up broadcast rights on TV, internet and mobile devices until 2032. NBC previously outbid rivals from ABC/ESPN and Fox with a $4.38 billion offer for the broadcast rights through 2020, and the new extension runs things out for twelve more years at a price of $7.65 billion, with a tiny $100 million signing bonus "for the promotion of Olympism" between 2015 and 2020. The good news, is that NBC has at least seen the light on live broadcasting, and made all the events (except for the Opening Ceremony) available for viewing as they happened on the internet or TV during the 2014 Winter Games. Of course -- rather predictably since NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast -- it's still tying access to those internet streams to having a cable or satellite TV subscription, and it seems unlikely that will change any time soon.

About the only thing Google's $35 Chromecast dongle can't do is let you watch live television, but that won't be the case for much longer. Starting on May 29, streaming television startup Aereo will release an updated version of its Android app that includes support for streaming live broadcast television shows to your Chromecast.

Let's rewind for a moment here. In case you hadn't heard, Aereo lets its customers watch over-the-air TV shows from a web browser thanks to a tiny antenna that captures the signals for storage on a remotely accessible server. That means you'll be able to binge catch and store all those episodes of Jeopardy from the comfort of... anywhere you can get a data connection, really. That Aereo would support Chromecast isn't a surprise -- CEO Chet Kanojia basically said as much at an investor conference last year -- but it helps fill a crucial gap in the Chromecast's content library.

As part of its massive Super Bowl sponsorship, Verizon has taken over a good chunk of Manhattan's Bryant Park. We're at the Verizon Power House this morning, a heated oasis in the otherwise frigid city center, where reps are detailing the carrier's LTE Multicast service, which enables transmitting live content directly to a variety of VZ devices using the existing network infrastructure. Unlike basic LTE streaming, however, Multicast allows for an uninterrupted video feed regardless of the number of devices currently using the service in any particular area.

We first heard about Verizon's implementation at CES 2013, and it looks like Big Red's planning to flip the switch during the first half of this year, though a pricing model, precise availability and device compatibility haven't been detailed. If you're in NYC this week, however, you'll be able to snag a sneak peek of Multicast running on a Sequans-powered tablet and a Galaxy Note 3. The service is currently live at a demo room in Verizon's Bryant Park booth.

Watching hoops from the stands or on TV is great, but have you ever wanted to see an NBA game from the perspective of a coach, cheerleader or broadcaster? That's going to happen on January 24th during a Sacramento Kings broadcast vs. the Indiana Pacers, as select players and staff will be decked out in Google Glass -- along with the team's mascot, announcers, dancers and others. All that will be coordinated by a company called CrowdOptic, which will analyze in real time where all the devices are aimed and distill everything to a manageable feed for broadcast. At the same time, the Kings have announced that it'll be the first pro sports franchise to accept Bitcoins, letting fans purchase merchandise and tickets by March 1st using the virtual currency. There's a video after the break to give you a sneak peak at the players-eye-view -- we'll have to see if they're smiling as much after the game.

Big media may have thought its deep pockets and love of ceaseless litigation would break Aereo's bank and spirit, but the cloud-based DVR company is sticking to its guns. In a statement released just today, Aereo head Chet Kanojia said that his company wouldn't oppose a petition brought against the company by ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, setting the table for a case in the Supreme Court. Kanojia echoed much of what Cablevision itself expressed in a white paper earlier today, saying that he believes the end goal of this court battle could ultimately strike down a 2008 ruling in favor of Cablevision's cloud DVR tech, which laid the groundwork for many of the cloud-based services we enjoy today.

Though Aereo and Cablevision are in different positions when it comes to retransmission fees, both parties argue that the broadcasters' suit, if successful, could slow or even reverse the trend of technological progress, innovation and consumer choice. For Aereo's part, a potential Supreme Court case could also provide a much-needed light at the end of the tunnel -- a final ruling in a recent string of lower court victories that would free up its resources and allow the company to pursue nationwide expansion unburdened. That's if the Supreme Court even decides to hear the case -- it declined to hear an appeal on Cablevision's remote storage DVR in 2009 -- as that decision won't come until sometime in 2014.

It seems PS4 owners are more than a little curious when it comes to testing out a bit of Battlefield 4 livestreaming. Sony announced today that its new console has accounted for 10 percent of Twitch content since its launch last month. Confirming the numbers, the streaming outfit added that the figure was tallied based on broadcast minutes. Twitch has also added over 100,000 new PlayStation 4 streamers in that time, pushing its user base to over 700,000 total across all platforms. Here's what Matthew DiPietro, VP of Marketing at Twitch, had to say about the stats:

When people look back at the true game changers of 2013, the integration of Twitch into the current generation consoles will be on the short list. As testament to the growing appeal of live broadcasting video game content, the amount of broadcasters on Twitch has grown from around 600,000 in October to more than 700,000 in November. In addition to more than 100K new broadcasters signing up since the launch of PlayStation 4, PS4 owners make up ten percent of all content on Twitch based on minutes broadcast.

Remember how we'd heard that a British broadcaster is trialing 4K TV? We have a hunch as to which company that is: Sky now claims that it's the first UK TV network to have conducted a live 4K broadcast. The firm captured a weekend Premier League match in ultra high resolution using the same infrastructure it normally requires for a live show, with satellites delivering a feed to the company's Isleworth broadcast center. Commercial service remains distant, mind you -- Sky requires both more research and wider adoption of 4K TVs to justify an upgrade. If everything falls into place, though, Sky could have an advantage over rival providers that have yet to venture beyond HD.

Satellite TV in Ultra HD quality is no longer just a dream: following a successful test broadcast this week, KT Skylife has unveiled a roadmap for offering 4K TV to its subscribers. The Korean provider plans to trial one channel of UHD content in the efficient H.265 (HEVC) video format next year, with a full commercial launch due in 2015. Widespread availability will depend on KT Skylife's ability to clear regulatory hurdles, CEO Jae-chul Moon says. The real challenge, however, may be finding customers with Ultra HD TVs. While prices are falling quickly, there's no guarantee that 4K sets will be commonplace in two years' time.

While DAB radio is common in the UK, its broadcasting equipment is usually too expensive for community broadcasters. However, Ofcom's Rashid Mustapha has shown that the technology is now within reach of amateurs. Taking advantage of DAB's newly patent-free status, Mustapha tested a low-power digital transmitter based on an open source software radio and a Linux PC; he only had to stream that radio to an aerial through long-range WiFi. His solution would cost just £1,400 ($2,153) per year to run, letting many community radio operators make the leap to digital. The study doesn't represent an automatic green light for low-power DAB -- more work is needed, Mustapha says -- but it's clear that small-scale stations won't be stuck in the analog world forever.

Just how popular is 3D broadcast content? Not even a tiny bit, if the BBC's latest decision is any indication. Following an announcement that Wimbledon matches would be available in 3D, Britain's top broadcaster has vowed to take a three-year hiatus from producing 3D video. In an interview with Radio Times, Kim Shillinglaw, who heads up the British Broadcasting Corporation's pilot program, cited the cumbersome process consumers face when gearing up to view three-dimensional footage. She'll focus on her secondary position as head of science and natural history during the organization's three-year embargo. A Doctor Who anniversary episode will be the BBC's final 3D program for the year, giving early adopting Brits one last opportunity to slide on their glasses before retiring them to the "junk drawer" until 3D's resounding resurgence.

Phew! Wasn't that fun? After months and months of abundant speculations, the opening keynote at WWDC 2013 finally allowed us to see some of the things Apple's been working on since its last major event. Still, we can only imagine how keeping track of today's announcements can become a slightly complicated task -- especially with E3 happening as we speak. The good news for you is that, as they did earlier in the day, Tim Stevens and Darren Murph will be hosting a live video broadcast right across the street from where the conference is taking place. So, head on past the jump, where you'll be able to watch along as the Engadget duo goes over the new stuff Apple just unveiled.

Apple's 2013 edition of its notorious Worldwide Developers Conference is soon to be underway. But, while we wait for Tim Cook & Co. to hit the stage, who better than our own Tim Stevens and Darren Murph to strike up a conversation about what the Cupertino-based company may have in store for us. All signs point to a seventh major revision of iOS, but will we also see the fabled iWatch? How about the long-rumored iRadio music service? The clock's ticking, so join us after the break as we'll be broadcasting live from outside Moscone West, in beautiful San Francisco.

While you're still settling in to HDTV, NHK is already looking past 4K toward 8K broadcast trials -- and it has the hardware to do it. The Japanese broadcaster just showed off a compact 8K broadcast camera that uses the H.265 encoder we saw earlier, and packs a 33-megapixel sensor and drive circuits into a mere four square inch package. Unlike NHK's 8K, 120Hz Super Hi-Vision cam, this more compact model runs at 60fps. Broadcast trials are scheduled to begin in 2016 in Japan, regardless of whether you can see the pixels or not.

Update: This post originally stated that the camera runs at 120Hz. It is actually 60fps.

Quick: what's the difference between a broadcast TV network (Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC) and a cable channel (TBS, TNT, ESPN, etc.)? Oh, only millions and millions of viewers. Nevertheless, Fox's COO Chase Carey is perturbed enough by the mere thought of Aereo getting its way, that he's already claiming that the network will go dark in favor of becoming a cable channel -- if and when OTA network streaming over the internet is completely legalized, that is. Causticism aside, Carey's remarks are certainly indicative of how the networks feel about the potential disruption of their revenue stream, and moreover, showcases just how far we are from living in a world that isn't dominated by the same old processes when it comes to entertainment.

Carey stated: "We need to be able to be fairly compensated for our content. This is not an ideal path we look to pursue, but we can't sit idly by and let an entity steal our signal. We will move to a subscription model if that's our only recourse."

Is it possible that Fox would suddenly vanish from over-the-air antennas everywhere, screwing up countless programming agreements with a near-endless amount of partners? Sure... but it's also possible that the ninth circle of Hades will be converted into an NHL arena. We're calling your bluff, Carey.

Update: According to the New York Times, Univision chairman Haim Saban joined the saber rattling, stating that his network is ready to consider all options, including converting to pay-tv.